Months after a bus crash took the lives of much of the team, the Humboldt Broncos have named former NHLer Nathan Oystrick as their new head coach and general manager.
Oystrick, a 35-year-old from Regina, played professionally in four leagues over 11 seasons, including 65 NHL games with the Atlanta Thrashers, St. Louis Blues and Anaheim Ducks.
“My wife and I are excited to move to Saskatchewan and to be joining the tremendous community of Humboldt,” said Oystrick in a press conference.
Oystrick played midget AAA hockey with the Regina Pat Canadians – the same team Adam Herold played for until he joined the Broncos for their playoff run. Herold was one of 16 people killed in the accident.
“I will never forget the circumstances that have brought me here,” said Oystrick. “I understand how much the Broncos have always meant to the community of Humboldt, but I also understand what the team means to so many people across North American and globally.”
Oystrick will take the reins of the team over from former head coach and GM Darcy Haugan, who was also killed in the wreck. Haugan had held the position for three years, taking the team from a playoff bubble team to an outside threat at a SJHL title.
“I did not know Darcy Haugan, but like so many other people, I wish I had,” said Oystrick, who pledged to maintain the Broncos in a similar way to how Haugan had.
“I hope that I can make him proud while doing this job.”
It will be Oystrick’s first-ever junior hockey coaching job. In 2016-17, Oystrick served as an assistant coach with the ECHL’s Atlanta Gladiators. Last season, Oystrick coached the Colorado Academy Mustangs, a high school team in Denver, Colo.
A total of 15 players have been signed to the team for next season, including former Flin Flon Bomber Mike Wong, who was traded to Humboldt for forward Jessie Young on June 25.
